Certainty Kills Possibility

A few years ago, I added something to my resume that I really thought (think) was (is) important for people to know about me.

"I'm glad I live in a world well suited to the curious."

I am (was).

But I have noticed that (especially regarding a few recent events) people lock onto certainty in a way that unnerves me.

I realized why it unnerves me a few weeks ago when we watched a documentary on Sherlock Holmes, and the influence those stories had on modern forensic science. I highly recommend this show.  It settled all my unease about something I couldn't quite put my finger on, and that is this:

certainty kills possibility

Perhaps I have a tiny bias from growing up in a house full of scientists and Irish people. Absolutely nothing (aside from spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) was really accepted at face value. Boundaries are meant to be pushed in this gene pool. It's all I know.

I remember vividly in Sunday school asking our pastor WILDLY inappropriate questions for a six year old, like "HOW did he turn water into wine - I mean - actually HOW?".  I wanted a demonstration. Those poor other children in my classes were generally mortified.

(By the way, our pastor, a great man and a stoic Lutheran, handled me with grace and patience and never stifled me or rebuffed me with dogma. He also lived next door to us and smoked a pipe with cherry tobacco in it, which is a smell I hope accompanies everyone to heaven.)

But here's the deal. When you KNOW something, you are done with possibility. You don't entertain options, because options get grouped under impossibility. And as Sherlock taught us, once you've eliminated the impossible, what's left is the truth.

However, if you are wrong about what's impossible, you aren't left with the truth at all.

That can have terrible consequences.

There's a lot to be said for doubt, in my opinion. Doubt can save your life. Doubt is why your palms sweat when you walk onto a balcony 90 stories up. Or, if you're me - when you walk out onto the observation point at the Grand Canyon. I doubted every step, which I'm quite certain kept me from falling off.

So in praise of uncertainty with less than deadly consequences, I have a funny story for you.

I don't remember life before this Quik Stik tool.

I honestly don't. I don't know how I picked up embellishments at ALL before this thing. Maybe you do and can tell stories around the campfire to the younguns.

But I was so excited to get it and be able to pick up teeny stars with it (you'll see what I did in a minute) that I was certain that was its sole, glorious purpose. Also, I don't read instructions.

So I was watching a video of +Jennifer McGuire's the other day and she pulls out a little pokey tool thing from the OTHER end of the thing and says she doesn't know why she doesn't use it, but she doesn't.

Well I can tell you why I didn't use it - I DIDN'T FRACKING KNOW IT WAS THERE! I was so excited I paused her video grabbed my dealie bopper and sure enough - there's an awesome acrylic tool in the handle - a piercer on one end and sort of a screwdriver tip on the other end. REVELATION!

Don't worry - I'll wait until you're done laughing. Ready?


Today, when I made this card, I picked up these teeny stars with the business end of the tool, dipped them in glue, and then used the tool to hold them onto my card while I pulled the tool off the star! IT'S SO AWESOME!

I did this for Bridget's Hero challenge for Hope You Can Cling To today. My hero choice was easy. :)

The image is from For Your Country, the stars are from the Confetti Stars Punch, and I sponged Pear Pizzaz, Dafffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie and Real Red ink over it.

So don't be too sure of yourself. You never know when a little curiosity might save your life - and/or your card.

Loveyameanitbye.